Washing-machine.



No. 835,943. PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

M. G. ELWELL & W. M. MARTIN.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTORS ATTOR THE NORRIS PETERS 5a., wasmwznm, o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARQUIS Gr. ELWELL AND WILLIAM M. MARTIN, OF STANDISH, MAINE.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application filed May 31, 1905. Serial 1%. 263,025.

the county of Cumberland and State of' Maine, have invented a new and Improved Washing-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

- The purpose of our invention is to provide a washing-machine which is simple, durable, economic, and effective in operation and so constructed that the pieces to be washed are secured at one end upon a rough or corrugated cylinder and during the revolution of the cylinder are engaged by series of independent tension-controlled rubbers carried by a segmental frame, the frame having elastic fastening devices whereby to hold the rubbers in close engagement with the cylinder or the articles thereon, so that the clothes are subjected to successive rubbing action throughout their length and width, and the rubbers automatically accommodate themselves to irregularities or protuberances in the articles being operated upon.

Another purpose of the invention is to render the carrier-frame for the rubbers springcontrolled at the top and at the bottom in action and to provide means for conveniently and quickly moving the carrier-frame to and from the cylinder.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved washing-machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the machine, the section being taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the machine, drawn upon an enlarged scale, the section being taken practically on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevation of the groups of rubbers and their' carrier-frame, also drawn upon an enlarged scale.

A represents the box-body of the washingmachine, which is shown rectangular, of greater length than width and as supported by legs 10. At the central portion of the sides of the said body vertical slots 11 are made in I the upper edges of said side pieces, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and on the outer face of the body at said slots 11 two-piece bearings 12 are secured in any approved manner. The ends of a shaft 13 of a cylinder B are passed down through the said slots 11 and are held to turn in the bearings 12, as is best shown in Fig. 3. The cylinder B is provided with parallel peripheral corrugations 14, which extend from end to end of the cylinder, as best shown in Fig. 1, so that this cylinder is practically a cylindrical washboard. The cylinder may be made of any desired material, but wood. is preferably employed.

An annular chamber 15 is formed at each end of the cylindrical washboard B, as is shown in Fig. 3, and the shaft 13 is secured to the cylindrical washboard at one of its ends by means of a collar 16, which is integral with or is attached to the shaft and is secured to the end of said cylindrical washboard by means of screws 17 or their equivalents. Said cylindrical washboard at each end is provided with a flange 18,. extending any desired distance beyond its peripheral surface.

In connection with the cylindrical washboard B a clamp B is employed for the purpose of holding one end of the article or articles to be washed firmly in engagement with the cylindrical washboard. This clamp B consists of a bar 19 of suitable gage, said barbeing carried longitudinally of the cylindrical washboard between adjacent corrugations therein, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the end portions of the bar 19 are then bent or looped upward, forming handles 20. The said ends are then carried downward through apertures 21 made in said cylindrical washboard adjacent to its ends, whereby the end portions of the bar 19 extend down into the chambers 15 in the cylindrical washboard, as is shown also in Fig. 3. Springs 22 are coiled around the downwardly-projecting end portions of the bar 19, said springs having bearing against the side walls of the said chambers 15 and against pins or projections 23 at the extremities of the side members of the bar. These springs 22are of suflicient strength to hold the body portion of the bar 19'downward with suchforce as to prevent the clothes from being accidentally drawn from beneath the bar, as the clothes are released only when the bar 19 is drawn ontward from the cylindrical washboard by the assistance of the handles 20.

The cylindrical washboard may be rotated Q by power applied to the shaft 13; but it is usually turned by hand, a crank 24 being secured to one end of the shaft for that purpose.

D represents a carriage which is adapted for sliding movement on the bottom of the boX-body A to and from the cylindrical wash-' board B, and D represents a frame mounted up on the said carriage, in which frame a group of rubbers E is mounted in series. The carriage consists of two side pieces 25, which are preferably wider at their inner than at their outer ends, as shown in Fig. 1, and a connecting-bar 26, secured to the side pieces near their outer ends, as is also shown best in Fig. 1. The carriage D is limited in its inward movement by stop-plates 27, secured to the inner faces of the side pieces of the body, as is shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and, as illustrated in Fig. 2, these stop-plates have their lower portions cut away at their outer ends, forming guide-recesses 28 for the inner ends of the side bars or members of the said carriage D.

' The carriage D is forced in direction of the cylindrical washboard B through the medium of levers 29, which are fulcrumed upon the inner face of the side pieces of the box-body A, as is best shown in Figs. .2 and 3. These levers 29 have recesses 31 in their bottom portions, adapted to receive the outer ends of the side members 25 of the carriage D, and a keeper 30 is provided for each lever 29, said keepers being secured to the upper edges of the side pieces of the box-body A, extending horizontally inward from the said side pieces, as is best shown in Fig. 1, and from said figure it will be observed that each keeper 30 at its inner edge is provided with two shoulders 30 and 30 When the levers 29 are in their normal or upright position, (shown par ticularly in Fig. 1,) their upper portions are in engagement with the shoulders 30 and the normal position of the levers 29 is that position they assume when they have been utilized to force the carriage in direction of the cylindrical washboard B.

When the upper end portions of the levers 29 are in engagement with the inner shoulders 30*, the lower ends of the leverswill have been carried upward and outward, as is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and at such timethe carriage may be moved as far from the cylindrical washboard as the length of the box-body A will permit. When the carriage has been carried to an engagement with the adjacent end board of the box-body A, the carriage may be readily lifted out from said box-body. It may here be remarked that each side member 25 of the carriage D is provided, preferably, with two bearings 32, as is best shown in Fig. 1, for a purpose to be hereinafter mentioned.

With reference to the frame D, which is mounted at the inner end portion of the carriage D, this frame consists of opposing segmental side pieces 33, constructed usually of galvanized metal, and the concaved edges of the said side pieces face the cylindrical washboard B. Said side pieces are connected at the top by a splash-board 34, and they are further connected by a series of bars 35,'arranged about an equal distance apart, and these bars are preferably rectangular in crosssection, and while any desired number may be employed five of said bars have been found sufficient. I

The rubbers may be constructed of any desired material, but wood is usually employed for the purpose. Each rubber is in the form of a block having a semicircular front face and ordinarily a straight back, the semicircular or rounded surfaces of the rubbers being those surfaces which face the cylindrical washboard B, as is particularly.

shown in Fig. 2. These rubbers E are arranged in transverse series, as is shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4:, the series corresponding in number to the number of bars 35, employed in the construction of the frame D- Each rubber is independently supported. at a point above the bar 35, to which it is accredited by means of spring-supports 36, which springsupports consist of sprin '-wire of suitab gage passed through. the ars 35 and then carried upward and more or less in direction of the cylindrical washboard B. The ends of the wire are secured in any suitable or approved manner to the back faces of the individual rubbers. In the arrangement of the rubbers the series are so grouped that the group of rubbers present a concave general surface to the convexed surface of the cylindrical washboard, as is clearly shown in Fig.

2. To bring this arrangement about, the

supports 36, attached to the lower bar, are more or less vertical, while the supports carried. by the other bars 35 are iven more or less of an inward inclination, t e lnclinat-ion increasing in suitable proportion to observe the alinement above mentioned.

It will be observed that each series of rubbers is independent of the others and that each individual rubber is tension or spring controlled and is independent of its fellows The pivotal connection between the frame D and the carriage D is effected through the medium of a pivot-rod 37, which is passed through the lower end ortions of the side pieces 33 of said frame 1% its ends is bent at an angle to provide two side members 38. These side members 38 are passed through the bearings 32, heretofore spoken of as being on the side members of the carriage D, and as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A spring 39 is coiled around each of the said side members 38 of the pivot-bar 37, said springs being located between the said bearings 32. When the carriage D is pressed in direction of the cylindrical washboard B to its full extent, the rubbers will engage with and the rod 37 at the corrugated surface of said cylindrical I ber independent of the others in the series, washboard quite forcibly, and the frame D, and spring-supports for the rubbers secured carrying the rubbers, will be forced more or less outward, and Wlll thereupon place the springs 39 under tension, rendering the said frame and its rubbers spring or tension controlled at its bottom portion. In action the frame I) is likewise spring-controlled at its upper portion, the latter action being accomplished in the followmg manner:

Extensions 40 are made from the endportions of thesplash-board 34, as shown. in F 1g. 3. These extensions 40 carry hooks 41, which removably receive the ends of springs 42, the said springs being attached to the outer side portions of the box-body A in such manner as to exert downward tension on the upper portion of the frame I) and tension in direction of the cylindrical washboard B.

In operation the springs 42 are disengaged from the frame D, the levers 29 are carried to their inclined position, and the carriage D is drawn back. The clothes are then placed upon the cylindrical washboard B with an end of each piece to be washed held to the washboard by means of the clamp B. The levers 29 are then restored to their normal position, forcing the carriage inward and ringing the rubbers E in engagement with the cylindrical washboard B. The springs 42 are then again hooked to the said frame D. The cylindrical washboard iS now turned as rapidly as may be desired and as many times as is required, the turning of said cylindrical washboard being in direction of the frame carrying the rubbers E. Therefore each individual rubber acts many times on an article or articles to be washed. and each and every ortion of each article is subjected more or ess frequently to the action of sundry of the rubbers. As each rubber is independent and spring-controlled in its action it will yield as required to any protuberances which may present themselves during the operation of washing.

By the manipulation of thelever 29 the carriage D can be brought more or less closely to the washboard, as maybe required for light or heavy work. Any desired means may be employed for emptying the water from the body of the machine, and it is obvious that by turning the crank 24 both ways the clothes can be washed upon both sides.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a washing-machine, a cylindrical washboard mounted to revolve, a segmental frame the concaved portion whereofis presented to the cylindrical washboard, a group of rubbers comprising convex-faced blocks presenting collectively a concav ed formation to the cylindrical washboard, said rubbers being arranged in series, one series being independent of the other and each individual rubto the frame.

2. In a washingmachine, a cylindrical washboard mounted to revolve, a frame mounted for movement to and from the cylindrical washboard, spring-controlled at the top and bottom, a series of rubbers grouped in the frame, presenting a concave formation to the cylindrical washboard, which rubbers are arranged in series, each rubber being independent of its fellows, andan independent spring-support for eachrubber, .wh1ch, sup ports are secured to the said frame.

,3. In washing machines, the combination-with a cylindrical washboard mounted to revolve, of a frame adapted to the cylindrical washboard but independent thereof, a group of rubbers located in the frame, which group of rubbers present collectively a concave formation to the cylindrical washboard, said rubbers consisting of blocks having rounded working surfaces, said blocks being arranged in independent series and each individual rubber being independent in action, and independent yielding supports for the individual rubbers, said supports being carried by the frame.

4. In washing machines, the combination with a cylindrical washboard mounted 5 to revolve, of a frame adapted to the cylindrical washboard but independent thereof, a group of rubbers located in the frame, which group of rubbers presents collectively a concave formation to the cylindrical washboard, said rubbers consisting of blocks having rounded working surfaces, said blocks being arranged in independent series and each indi-' vidual rubber being independent in action, independent yielding supports for the indi vidual rubbers, said supports being carried by the frame, a clamp which extends longitudinally of the cylindrical washboard, a carriage mounted for movement to and from the cylindrical. washboard, locking and shifting devices for the carriage, a tension-controlled pivotal support for the frame located on the carriage, and a yielding locking device for the upper portion of the frame.

5. In washing machines, a cylindrical washboard mounted to revolve, a frame independent of the cylindrical washboard but adapted to a portion of its peripheral surface, a group of independent rubbers comprising each a convex-faced block located in the frame, which group in its entirety presents a concave formation to the cylindrical washboard, an independent yielding support for each rubber, and yielding supports for the top and bottom portions of the frame.

6. In a washing-machine, a cylinder and means for revolving the same, the said cylinder having a corrugated peripheral surface, a chamber at each end and a flange at each end extending beyond the peripheral surface of the cylinder, and a clamp consisting of a bar, the body portion of which extends lengthwise of the cylinder between adjacent corrugations, upwardly-extending handle members at the ends of the said body of the bar, inwardly-extending arms also at the ends of the body of the bar, which arms pass loosely through the cylinder into its end chambers,

and springs within said chambers, through which said arms pass, said arms having enlargements at their inner ends. 1

7. The combination witha corrugated cylindrical washboard and means for rotating the same, of a frame adapted to a portion of the periphery of the washboard, a carrier upon which the frame is tensionally mounted, I

means for moving the carriage toward the washboard and looking it in said position, and a group of individual rubbers comprising each a convex-faced block, located in the frame presenting collectively a concave formation to the washboard, and an individual spring-support for each individual rubber, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARQUIS G. ELWELL. WILLIAM M. MARTIV. Witnesses:

JAMES L. BROWN, CHARLES T. MES. 

